Bodies of suspected COVID-19 patients to be handed over to relatives immediately: Govt

New Delhi, June 14: In compliance with orders of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Ministry directed authorities on Sunday said that bodies of suspected COVID-19 cases in Delhi will be handed over to relatives immediately without waiting for lab confirmation, said Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

As per Home Minister's directions, Health Ministry has set up three teams of four doctors each from AIIMS Delhi, Directorate General Of Health Services, Union Health Ministry and Delhi government to inspect major dedicated Covid-19 facilities proposed in Delhi and make recommendations for improvement, said MHA.

Earlier on Sunday, Amit Shah chaired a meeting attended by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan, and said the central government is committed to check Covid-19 spread in Delhi and keep the national capital safe.

Earlier in the day, Shah announced a slew of measures like doubling of testing in the national capital in the next two days and working out a mechanism to make available 60 per cent of beds in private hospitals at lower rates and fixing the price for coronavirus treatment.

The decisions were taken as Shah held meetings, first with Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and others, and later with the mayors and top officials of municipal bodies, on the coronavirus situation.

Following the discussions, Shah also called a meeting of all political parties of Delhi on Monday to review the COVID-19 management situation in the national capital.

The number of total COVID-19 cases in Delhi on June 9 was 31,309 which increased to 38,958 on Saturday.

Similarly, the total number of deaths as on June 9 was 905 which increased to 1,271.

The number of coronavirus cases in Delhi is the third highest in the country after Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

India saw the highest single-day spike of 11,929 novel coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, taking the number of infections to over 3.20 lakh on Sunday, while the toll crossed the 9,000-mark with 311 more deaths, the Health Ministry said.